National News

VANCOUVER — A rising death toll from overdoses in B.C. during the COVID-19 pandemic has advocates, government officials and health-care workers concerned about a public health emergency that has been overshadowed by the response to the virus.

The latest numbers of confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases in Canada as of 7:08 p.m. ET on May 15, 2020: There are 74,613 confirmed and presumptive cases in Canada.

The latest news on the COVID-19 global pandemic (all times Eastern): 6:50 p.m. The B.C. government has announced five more deaths from COVID-19, bringing the province's death toll to 140.

OTTAWA — An all-party committee is recommending the House of Commons hold additional virtual sittings to conduct all its regular business — including voting — during the COVID-19 pandemic.

OTTAWA — Outgoing Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer chuckled Friday when asked if he wishes he had done anything differently during his time at the party's helm. "Well, clearly," he said.

PRINCE ALBERT, Sask. — The family of a Saskatchewan couple and their grandson, who were slain in their home nearly seven weeks ago, say the surviving granddaughter is doing well in hospital.

WASHINGTON — Canada and the United States are both "very comfortable" with their mutual ban on non-essential cross-border travel, but Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland won't say if the Americans want to extend the restrictions beyond June 21.

TORONTO — Amid still rising case counts and further signs of the economic devastation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Friday that businesses can take advantage of emergency wage subsidies until the end of Augu

HALIFAX — More than 30 faculty members at Dalhousie University's law school have signed a letter urging Nova Scotia's premier to call an independent public inquiry into the shooting rampage that took 22 lives last month.

OTTAWA — Canada's national environment agenda is the latest thing to be upended by the COVID-19 pandemic, as plans for both beefing up national climate targets and banning some plastics are likely to be delayed.